By I do believe there is no size fit’s all approach to weight loss and building muscle mass. It’s essential to tailor a person’s nutritional requirements holistically. Before starting any eating plan, you may want to consult a nutritionist or health care professional.
People who want to build muscle whilst maintaining leanness are usually drawn to the bodybuilder diet. The primary nutrient of the bodybuilder diet is increasing your protein and calorie intake while training with weights. You gradually increase the intensity, repetition and weights. Your schedule will be determined by the goals you have set up for yourself. The typical bodybuilding diet is not that different from a healthy balanced diet. It usually contains a great variety of nutrient-dense foods. The difference is with nutritional timing that’s based on a particular training program or when the time comes to lean out before a show.
What you should be eating
Any kind of diet that encourages fat loss will be high in protein, containing moderate amounts of complex carbohydrates and an excellent fat source. The best type of protein you can regularly consume for weight loss is eggs, chicken and whitefish. This is usually what we bodybuilders predominantly eat. Green veggies include broccoli, spinach and cabbage. As for carbohydrates, stick to sweet potato and oats. Sometimes we can meal time basmati rice – and that’s usually after a tough training session. It should be avoided if you are trying to lose fat stores predominantly.
Bodybuilding diets are pretty strict, but that should not be the case for everyone. You can exercise a lot of flexibility depending on your goal. The primary food choices above are relative to anyone – whether you want to lose weight or not. All you need to do is follow a balanced diet and listen to your own bodies hunger cues. Naturally, when you are eating a little bit more protein than usual, you may not be as hungry all the time.
Here are some basic guidelines you can follow when it comes to nutritional timing between workouts:
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Fueling before workouts: Eat some carbohydrates about 30 minutes before a workout session.
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Refuelling during cardio: For sessions that include cardio and are considerably longer than an hour at moderate- to high intensity, you may need to refuel with gels or a sports drink during the session.
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Use the 3:1 ratio: Eat some protein and carbohydrate immediately or within 30 minutes of the end of the workout. Use the 3:1 carbohydrates to protein ratio.
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Limit dietary supplements: Don’t use protein supplements excessively. You can get the required amount of quality protein from lean chicken, fish, soy, skim milk, and some red meat.
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Eat healthy fats: Eat a healthy diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol and high in fruit, vegetables, beans, whole grains, and quality monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats (found in nuts, seeds, and oils).
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Drink plenty of fluids: Replace the water you lose to sweat. Beverages like tea and coffee can be helpful, but drinking plenty of water can ensure you stay hydrated.
What about cheat meals
What about cheat meals? I, for one, always look forward to a good cheat meal every once in a while, but lately, it’s not been on the radar for me. A cheat meal comprises one meal, on any day you choose to be a treat for you. It could be a savoury or sweet meal – the choice is yours. One recommendation is that you keep it to one meal and not extend it further out to the rest of the week. One cheat meal will not cause any harm to your dieting regime – but daily consumption of sugars and processed foods will indeed cause damage.
I do hope that within this post, you have come to realise that building muscle and to become leaner is not too far off the charts for anyone – and both can be accomplished with a nutritious meal plan, used with consistency and exercise.
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